London, 1st May 2014: the first ever seals for brand safety online have been awarded today to 9 companies that meet industry-agreed standards to reduce the risk of ads being served next to inappropriate or illegal content online.

The seals have been awarded by the UK's Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards (JICWEBS) – the independent body that defines best practice and standards for online ad trading.

The organisations receiving the seal have all had their advertising misplacement policies and processes reviewed by an independent third party. Alongside the 9* seals issued today a further 7** organisations have committed to undergo independent verification within 6 months.

As the ad buying process shifts towards using automated decision-making, advertisers and agencies have placed increased focus on ensuring that their online reputation is maintained by ensuring that their adverts don't appear against inappropriate content. . The issue of the seal is the culmination of an unprecedented level of cross industry collaboration to deliver a set of straightforward and workable best practice principles that meet the needs of all sides of the industry.

Andy Muddimer, Santander's Group Marketing Manager, said: "Misplaced advertising is an issue that affects the whole online industry. In proactively working together we will foster trust and continue to see online ad spend grow. We encourage market take-up of the DTSG's good practice."

David Ellison, ISBA Marketing Services Manager, said: "We recommend our members only use intermediaries that have been seal accredited, as it will provide them with much-needed reassurances over online brand safety."

Richard Foan, JICWEBS facilitator said, "It has always been JICWEBS ambition to deliver an inclusive set of best practice principles. In this increasingly complex global market which operates at scale the industry needs straightforward principles that promote transparency and trust."

For more information please contact:

Alex Burmaster, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.t: +44 (020) 3544 3570

*Seals issued to Crimtan, Tubemogul Inc, Exponential Interactive, Vibrant Media, Quantcast, Specific Media, IgnitionOne, Unruly, AD2ONE

**Organisations registered with JICWEBS and committed to independent verification within 6 months Pulsepoint, byyd Tech, Microsoft Advertising, Yahoo UK, Adaptv, Amnet UK, Advertising.com

View the signatories and seals

About the Digital Trading Standards Group (DTSG)

The DTSG comprises representatives from the following sectors of the digital display trading ecosystem: advertisers, agencies, agency trading desks (ATDs), demand side platforms (DSPs), advertising networks, sales houses, advertising exchanges, supply side platforms (SSPs) and publishers.

About JICWEBS

JICWEBS is the UK's Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards and is made up of the following trade bodies: Association of Online Publishers (AOP), Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) UK, Newspaper Society, Newspapers Publishers Association, ISBA – the voice of British advertisers and the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA). www.jicwebs.org

As the media industry continues its unrelenting shift towards online content, there have been innumerable changes in the way advertising is planned, bought and sold.

However, there have been challenges. One of the most significant aspects of the changes witnessed is the shift to technology to place online advertising and its potential impact on brand safety.

Key players from the online advertising ecosystem met recently to discuss the development of new principles aimed at ensuring safer online ad placement. The resulting Digital Trading Standards Group (DTSG) is a new industry initiative that plans to develop a set of industry wide principles aimed at safeguarding ad placement at an impression level.

ABC has been asked to facilitate the new DTSG, an independent body with its own governance structure, as it meets to consider its role and a new industry code of best practice. Organisations from across the digital advertising ecosystem have been invited to be represented at the DTSG.